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Hi! I was hoping for Scarleteen to give me the lowdown on mucous charting. My partner and I use condoms during sex, and I try to be very careful by avoiding my fertile days. However, I tend to freak out and worry a lot. I've just started with this whole experience actually, and I haven't talked to anyone else about this apart from my boyfriend, so you can just imagine the questions in my head. I've read in your articles that counting off when my possible fertile period will be is risky; and that evaluating the cervical mucous daily is a better option as it gives more solid information. My menstrual cycle is very regular-28 days, except for the times when I get really stressed from school and it would stretch to about 31 days. I have a fairly good medical background on human anatomy and physiology, includong the female reproductive system because of my course. But its all quite complicated and I still have questions. Books explain it for learning purposes, and not really talk about the how's. Can you give me easy, straigh-to-the-point tips and steps? And do you think that, that, along with condoms is enough protection? Other pieces of advice would be most welcome! Thanks very much and thanks for your time. =)
Posts: 2 | From: Philippines | Registered: Jan 2008
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Your best bet is going to be getting a book if you are interested in using the Fertility Awareness Method (or FAM). I'd suggest "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler (that's essentially the bible of fertility awareness) or taking a class in it (but if you're going to do that, you want to make sure that they're actually teaching FAM, not rhythm or something else which won't work). While charting your mucus is a part of the process, it's not the only part. You really need to be taking your basal temperatures as well, and preferably chartinig your cervical positon too.
I'll be honest with you, while the concept itself is not difficult, I'm uncomfortable trying to condense it down into what we could explain here because it is a little tricky to learn. You really need to read it direct from an expert piece of literature to understand exactly how it works and what you need to do. Not everybody's signs look exactly alike. So getting a text will really help you learn about all of the possibilities and start looking for what they might look like for you. I used it myself (though I was using it to try to become pregnant, which is the more common reason women use FAM) and it took me months to get it right, and even then I was still referring back to my dog-eared, noted up version of TCYF. Once you've got it down, it's great...but until then, don't try short-cuts, get a real book.
Also, FAM is not for everybody. Even Toni Weschler herself does not recommend it as a method of BC for younger women. It takes time and committment. You have to be willing and able to monitor your fertility signs every single day for as long as you use it. (While you may eventually start to see patterns, real FAM does not suggest that you should stop charting or assume that every cycle is going to be the same, so you have to keep charting.) It also is easier when you have consistently very very regular cycles. It can be quite effective when paired with condoms (we would never suggest here using FAM alone unless you are: a) ok with the possibility of pregnancy, b) have no access to other BC methods, or are c) in a situation where a partner will not allow/cooperate with other methods and you cannot leave the situation for whatever reason). If you want to use FAM with condoms, then essentially (once you have started charting and are learning when your most fertile period is via your signs), you simply abstain for several days around that time and use condoms consistently during the rest of your cycle.
So I'm sorry we can't condense it down for you, but it really would not be safe or wise to use FAM based solely on the "Cliff's Notes" version of how to do it. Getting yourself a book (if you're serious about doing this) will be a much better option.
-------------------- Sarah Liz Posts: 7313 | From: USA | Registered: Oct 2000
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Thank you very much. I'll try and look for the book you suggested. And I think that I might try using the BBT method. Is that difficult to do? I mean the process itself? Or just tedious? And is it expensive? since I know that I'll need to buy a special thermometer for it. I also have another question. I just want to clarify something. My period lasts for about a week. By the end of that week, I only have very slight discharge- just like the ones you get during the "dry days", only they are brownish in color. (I think that this happens to everybody.) It obviously means that the period has, or is about to end. But that's just it. Has it ended or is it just about to end? It's sounds stupid, I know. It's just that I want to know exactly when my period has ended. For one thing, I don't know when to start counting for the monthly self breast exam, since, you're is supposed to do it a week after the menstruation ends, right? And in line with that, say I had sex during that time. It would have to be A LOT safer right? With condoms, of course. Thanks again for your time. I really appreciated your answer to my previous question. =)
Posts: 2 | From: Philippines | Registered: Jan 2008
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BBT isn't hard to do. You simply take your temperature each morning (at the same time) before getting up or doing anything at all. You've got to do it every morning for as long as you use FAM. You chart the temperatures (on special charts either on paper or you can do them on the computer via a website or software) looking for certain patterns (again, not everybody's temperature shifts look exactly alike). You don't want to be using BBT on it's own though, because it only signals ovulation AFTER it's already happened (so it would be too late by the time you realize it). So BBT really needs to be used with mucus charting as well. You do have to have a special thermometer, a regular one is not sensitive enough to do what you need. They sell them online or in pharmacies and they are not expensive (if you're going to get one, get a digital). If you pick up that book I recommended (which is widely available in both new and used -- I got my used copy for like $5 -- copies), it'll explain all about temping as well as charting your cervical mucus. It's important to do both (and preferably chart your cervical position as well) so that you can see when your fertility signs align, so to speak.
In terms of deciding when to do your monthly self breast exam, I'd probably suggest starting your "count" with the first day of your period rather than the last day. By counting forward from the first day, you'll make sure you're doing it on the same day each cycle (that's what you're really wanting to do). I'd probably pick something like 10 days from the start of each new cycle.
Oh, and to answer your last question....without your charting your specific fertility signs, it'd be premature to say that sex would be "a lot" safer during that period. Condoms are pretty darn effective when used consistently and properly on their own, so as long as you are not having condom breakage or problems, you wouldn't really have a pregnancy risk.
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If you want to start your own thread with your question in Ask Scarleteen, Brittany, we'd be happy to help you. You also might want to check out our article Honorably Discharged: A Guide to Vaginal Secretions which provides lots of infomration about vaginal discharge.
Posts: 3077 | Registered: Sep 2000
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